Friday

Hush House favourite Joey Anderson has steadily been making a name for himself over the past few years. His style of house verges into the realm of the avant-garde, and sometimes defies categorisation entirely. He's also done some exceptional mixes as a DJ, including a special one for us, which predates both his RA and XLR8R efforts.

It's with great pleasure that we get to introduce his first solo LP, entitled 'After Forever'. Upon full listening, some people may find that the album is less accessible than your typical dance LP, but that's what makes it standout in a market saturated with disposable releases.

For example, the ethereal synth washes and gurgling lines of the track 'Space Colors Ideas' sound as though they might have kinship with artists on labels like Editions Mego or Warp. The track is entirely beatless, and shows just how far the artist is willing to push his sound left of centre. Again, 'Maidens Response' combines the sonic aesthetic of experimental music, with that of traditional house music. Sparse use of snare drums accounts for an extremely murky and cerebral sound, breaking down the mould and solidifying Anderson's sound.

In all of Joey's work subtlety is key, but in this album in particular, he demonstrates that philosophy to great effect. 'Brass Chest Plate' begins life as little more than a fast kick drum, hats and a drony bassline. But soon the track builds piece-by-piece and unfurls into a dancing sonic array of delayed kit sounds and almost trance-like detuned synth arpeggios.

Be sure to give the album a few listens, as it will take time for some to adapt to Joey's idiosyncratic sound. But without a doubt, this will be an album remembered to have captured the zeitgeist of contemporary house music in 2014.